Method for the starter cut-out of an internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a method for turning off the starter of an internal combustion engine, wherein a starter motor which can be engaged with the internal combustion engine for cranking is disengaged and switched off when the internal combustion engine runs by itself, and the time at which the starter is switched off is determined from a curve of a starter current of the starter motor. It is provided that a signal proportional to the starter current (I S ) is evaluated for determining the time (t A ) for switching off the starter, wherein there is an evaluation of a characteristic line with a signal which is proportional to the starter current, which characteristic line is dependent on an operating state of the internal combustion engine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a method for turning off a starter of an internal combustion engine.

It is known that internal combustion engines must be started by means of a starting mechanism because they cannot start by themselves. Starter motors are usually used for this purpose. These starter motors are connected with a voltage and source via a starter relay constructed as an engagement relay, as they are called, and a pinion of the starter motor is simultaneously engaged with a toothed rim of a flywheel of the internal combustion engine for cranking. In order to switch on the starter relay, it is known to control this starter relay by means of an external switch, for example, an ignition switch or starter switch of the motor vehicle. After the internal combustion engine has begun to run independently, the starter motor must be disengaged to prevent noise and wear. It is known to switch off the starter manually by releasing the ignition switch or starter switch. Solutions for turning off the starter of the internal combustion engine automatically for increased convenience in motor vehicles are known. For example, it is suggested in DE 195 03 537 A1 to detect autonomous running of the internal combustion engine automatically by detecting the ripple of a battery voltage or a starter current. The absolute value of the battery voltage or starter current is compared with a reference value in order to detect independent running of the internal combustion engine. In this connection, it is disadvantageous that operating conditions of the internal combustion engine can be taken into account only insufficiently, so that a cold start and warm start of the internal combustion engine, for example, cannot be taken into account.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The method according to the invention offers the advantage that information about the operating state of the internal combustion engine can be taken into account indirectly for determining the time to switch off the starter. Due to the fact that a signal proportional to the starter current is evaluated for determining the time to switch off the starter, wherein there is an evaluation of a characteristic line with a signal which is proportional to the starter current, which characteristic line is dependent on the operating state of the internal combustion engine, it is possible to switch off the starter in an optimum manner immediately after the internal combustion engine has begun to run independently, so that starting time is reduced especially when the internal combustion engine is at operating temperature. The method can be used in a simple manner for all internal combustion engines, wherein it is only necessary to adapt that characteristic lines of the parameters determined by the operating state of the internal combustion engine.

In a preferred construction of the invention, a battery voltage of a motor vehicle battery supplying the starter motor is evaluated as a signal proportional to the starter current. In this way, it is possible to optimize the time for switching off the starter without information about the rate of rotation of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.

DRAWINGS

The invention will be described more fully in the following in embodiment examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the curve of a starter current;

FIG. 2 shows correlations between the starter current and a crankshaft rotational speed of an internal combustion engine; and

FIG. 3 shows the battery voltage curve during a starting phase.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a typical curve of a starter I_(S) of a starter motor of an internal combustion engine over time t. When the starter motor is switched on, the starter current I_(S) climbs to a first maximum value I₁ at time t₁. The starter current I_(S) then passes into a ripple area before reaching a current I₀ when the internal combustion engine begins to run by itself. As is known, the ripple of the starter current I_(S) results from the alternating compression and decompression phases of the internal combustion engine during the starting phase. Proceeding from time t₀, which represents which represents a defined distance from time t₁, e.g., 150 ms, the phase with positive and negative slopes of the starter current I_(S) are detected. In the example shown in the drawing, the phases with a negative slope of the starter current are detected through time periods t₂ to t₃, t₄ to t₅, and so on, while the phases of positive slope are detected by time periods t₃ to t₄ and t₅ to t₆, and so on. A voltage minimum at times t₂, t₄ and t₆ is associated with each starter current maximum I₂, I₄ and I₆.

In order to determine the time for switching off the starter, the period of the starter current with negative gradient is determined proceeding from each maximum of the starter current I₂, I₄ and I₆ and is compared with a permanently stored time characteristic. The permanently stored time characteristic is determined from a function t_(switch-off)=f(I₁). Information can be derived about the operating state of the internal combustion engine based on the first current maximum I₁. Accordingly, it is known that, at different operating temperatures of the internal combustion engine, the first maximum I₁ has a corresponding value that can be assigned to these operating features.

This information is further evaluated based on the correlation, shown in FIG. 2, between a crankshaft rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and the starter current I_(S). The characteristic lines in FIG. 2 represent the correlation of a crankshaft rotational speed n to the starter current I_(S). In this connection, a closed overrunning clutch and a quasi-stationary operation of the starter motor and internal combustion engine are assumed. A total of three characteristic lines are plotted for three different operating temperatures, namely, −20°, +20° C. and +80° C. A range defining the end range of run-up support of the starter in the case of a cold internal combustion engine is designated by 10. A characteristic line 12 defines a minimum crankshaft rotational speed n for independent running in a warm internal combustion engine. The resulting characteristic lines of the crankshaft rotational speed n over the starter current I_(S) are changed into linearized characteristic lines. A “warm” characteristic line is designated by 14 and a “cold” characteristic line running parallel thereto is designated by 16. A good correlation between the starter current I_(S) and rotational speed n results for temperatures greater than approximately 10° C. and for a rotational speed range n up to about 300 1/min. A switch-off criterion can be determined from this for a warm-operating internal combustion engine when no ignition failure or misfiring occurs. There is no intersection between the minimum required rate of rotation n and the starter current I_(S) for temperatures less than 0° C.

By evaluating the current-time values for the starter current I_(S) given in accordance with FIG. 1 with rotational speed/current relationship shown in FIG. 2, a time characteristic is formed for switching off the starter of the internal combustion engine. In so doing, different time characteristic lines for different operating states of the internal combustion engine, e.g., depending on operating temperature, are stored and processed. By defining an initial temperature T_(crit) of, e.g., 10° C., characteristic lines greater than T_(crit) can be distinguished from characteristic lines less than T_(crit). Switching between these characteristic lines is carried out by evaluation of the current maxima I₁, I₂ of the starter current I_(S), for example, since they supply information about whether the internal combustion engine is cold or at operating temperature. In particular, a criterion for detecting a warm internal combustion engine or a cold internal combustion engine can be the amplitude of the maxima I₁ and I₂, the time interval between amplitudes t₂−t₁ and the difference I₂−I₁.

For purposes of simplification, the time point for switching off the starter can be determined based on a common characteristic line, wherein, for example, a common characteristic line is used for a warm internal combustion engine and a cold internal combustion engine.

In order to switch off the starter after the internal combustion engine has safely begun running independently, switching off must be carried out over the time period of the open overrunning clutch. The open overrunning clutch can be detected via the curve of the starter current I_(S). The shortest observation period which must pass before the starter can be switched off with open overrunning clutch corresponds to the time period required for 0.8 to 1 half-revolution of the crankshaft at an unchanged rotational speed n without combustion torque corresponding to the ignition interval in a 4-cylinder internal combustion engine. The factor 0.8 is given because, when the internal combustion engine and countershaft starter motor are warm, the frictional engagement phase with closed overrunning clutch does not drop below approximately 20% of the cycle time of the internal combustion engine.

The rate of rotation n can be determined via the closed phase of the overrunning clutch preceding an open phase of the overrunning clutch according to the correlation between the starter current I_(S) and the crankshaft rotational speed n (warm characteristic line). At temperatures appreciably below +20° C. and/or when the motor vehicle battery is partly discharged, a correspondingly slower correlated rotational speed value n is given at the same starter current I_(S). This is compensated at lower temperatures of the internal combustion engine in that the relative frictional engagement phase typically climbs to 50% at 0° C. or to 70% at −20° C. When the factor of 0.8 is also retained in this instance, an opening phase of the overrunning clutch is likewise safely covered at negative temperatures. At cold temperatures, a cold internal combustion engine can be clearly detected, at the latest, from the second compression phase by means of the high current level of the starter current I_(S) and a slight reduction between the current maxima I₁ and I₂, so that a longer waiting period, i.e., a correspondingly different time characteristic, can be switched to. This results in the advantage that misfiring (up to a certain degree) does not result in a stopping of the internal combustion engine when the starter of the internal combustion engine is switched off. If necessary, a longer delay time can be adjusted in the case of an open overrunning clutch in order to cover at least one complete combustion misfire at the time characteristic.

On the whole, the starter current I_(S) is evaluated by discounting a preliminary phase leading up to time t₀ after the connection of the starter motor with the voltage source (motor vehicle battery). The gradients of the starter current I_(S) are then continuously evaluated in that the current maxima I₂, I₄, I₆ . . . are formed at the end of each phase with a positive slope. Over the time characteristics following a negative slope of the starter current I_(S), these values form a delay time up to which the negative slope of the starter current I_(S) must remain unchanged in order to initiate the switching off of the starter. In this connection, the function T_(switch-off)=f₁(I₁) is applicable for determining the warm or cold characteristics. After the second complete compression phase, it is decided by means of two current maxima I₂−I₄, I₄−I₆, . . . at the end of each phase with a positive current gradient whether the temperature of the internal combustion engine is greater than or less than 0° C. At a low temperature, the time characteristic switches to T_(switch-off)=f₂(I₁). In this way, no switching off of the starter is carried out when the internal combustion engine is cold (large values of starter current I_(S)). At the same time, the delay time at a lower starter current I_(S) (higher temperature of internal combustion engine) is automatically reduced via the stored characteristic, so that an excessively high rotational speed value n at a higher temperature of the internal combustion engine is prevented at the switch-off time.

The characteristic lines 14 and 16 shown in FIG. 2 can be determined in the following manner.

Examples of calculations of the application-dependent delay time:

The simplified (linearized) “warm characteristic” according to FIG. 2 is:

Nkw_(warm)=NkwI*(1.−I₁/Iwk) NkwI=300 1/min

Iwk=1000 A

A straight line shifted in parallel applies for the “cold characteristic” in a simplified manner:

Nkw_(cold)=Nkw_(warm)−50 1/min

The following applies for the delay time (twindow) depending on the crankshaft rotational speed:

twindow=120.*factor/(Nkw*Nzz) Nzz=4; cylinder number

factor=0.8; see above.

twindow=24./Nkk

The rotational speeds and waiting periods for the warm and cold internal combustion engine determined according to these (linearized) formulas are compiled in the following table:

I₁ /A Nkwwarm 1/min Nkwcold 1/min twinwarm/ms twincold/ms 100 270 220  89 109 200 240 190 100 126 300 210 160 114 150 400 180 130 133 185 500 150 100 160 240 600 120  70 200 343 700  90  40 267 600 800  60  10 400 2400  where I₁ [A] represents the current maximum at the start of a dropping current curve, Nkwwarm [1/min] represents the estimated warm rotational speed, Nkwcold [1/min] represents the estimated cold rotational speed, Twinwarm [ms] represents the minimum delay time when the internal combustion engine is warm, and Twincold [ms] represents the minimum delay time when the internal combustion engine is cold.

With reference to FIG. 3, another method for switching off the starter of an internal combustion engine is described, wherein, instead of the starter current I_(S), the motor vehicle battery voltage U is used as a signal proportional to the starter current. The curve of the voltage U (battery voltage) behaves in a mirror-inverted manner with respect to the starter current I_(S) during the starting process of the internal combustion engine. The voltage U has a ripple which is opposed by the ripple of the starter current I_(S), that is, the voltage U falls during segments with rising starter current I_(S) and the voltage U rises in segments with falling starter current I_(S). In order to illustrate this, times t₂, t₄ and t₆ are plotted with currents I₂, I₄ and I₆ in FIG. 3. The voltage U is tapped at a terminal of the starter motor which is connected with the positive pole of the vehicle battery. In this case, the following equation applies:

U=U_(Batt)−I_(S)(Ri_(Batt)+Ri_(L)),

where U_(Batt) represents the no-load voltage of the motor vehicle battery, I_(S) is the starter current, Ri_(Batt) is the internal resistance of the motor vehicle battery, and Ri_(L) is the line resistance from the connection terminal to the motor vehicle battery.

The internal resistance of the battery Ri_(Batt) and the no-load voltage U_(Batt) are fundamentally dependent on the vehicle battery that is used, on the temperature and on the charge state. The relationship which is nonlinear on the whole is given by the following table, where the no-load voltage U_(Batt) is given in volts and the internal resistance of the battery Ri_(Batt) is given in milliohms:

Battery charge state Temperature 0% 80% 50% +20° C. 12.00/5.00 11.76/5.45 11.51/6.14    0° C. 11.69/5.75 11.43/6.24 11.17/6.88 −10° C. 11.54/6.46 11.27/6.90 11.00/7.60 −20° C. 11.38/7.56 11.11/8.07 10.83/8.65

For temperatures greater than 20° C., the internal resistance of the battery Ri_(Batt) falls somewhat and the no-load voltage U_(Batt) increases somewhat.

The line resistance Ri_(L) in series with the battery internal resistance Ri_(Batt) has a nominal resistance of 1 mOhm corresponding to the line length from the positive terminal of the motor vehicle battery to the connection terminal of the starter motor. This value is dependent on the temperature coefficient of the line material, i.e., generally, copper.

In all, this results in that a total resistance of about 6 to 7 mOhms is adjusted at higher temperatures greater than +10° C. and normal battery charge states. At lower temperatures and poorly charged motor vehicle battery, the total resistance increases to values of around 7 to 9 mOhms.

In order to avoid an uneconomical instantaneous measurement of the battery internal resistance Ri_(Batt) which can only be carried out in a complicated manner in case of short load pulses since a corresponding measuring accuracy is achieved only with large measurement currents of about 100 A, a battery internal resistance Ri_(Batt) of 6 mOhms can be assumed when the time for switching off the starter of the internal combustion engine is reached, because this resistance value covers the majority of possible cases of operation of the internal combustion engine at less than 10° C. and with a normal battery charge.

In every case, this assumption results in a reliable criterion for switching off, since a larger current I_(S) is automatically estimated at low temperatures and a larger time window is therefore activated up to the switching off of the starter.

In order to eliminate the no-load voltage and other electric consumers when evaluating the voltage U as a signal proportional to the starter current, a first measurement of the voltage U is carried out after an initialization phase t_(in) before the start of a relay pull-in phase of an engagement relay associated with the starter motor. It follows that:

U_(—)0=U_(Batt)−I_(verb)0(Ri_(Batt)+Ri_(L)),

where U_(Batt) represents the no-load voltage and I_(Verb) represents a current of other electric consumers connected at the starting time. The voltage U_(—)0 accordingly contains the battery no-load voltage minus the voltage drop across the electric consumers connected at this time. A necessary voltage window of 10 V to +13 V is given.

The main measurement of the voltage U is carried out after 150 ms after the main contact of the starter motor is closed, i.e., at time t₀. This gives:

 U_(—)1=U_(Batt)−I_(Verb)+I_(S)).(Ri_(Batt)+R_(L)).

The subtraction of the last equation gives the following voltage difference:

d_(u)=I_(S)(Ri_(Batt)+R_(L)),

where a resistance R_(x)=6 mOhms is used overall for the resistance value of Ri_(Batt)+R_(L). This gives:

I_(S)=(U_(—)0−U_(—)1)/6 mOhms.

Therefore, a necessary voltage window is 7 to +13 volts. In order to increase the accuracy of measurement, the secondary electric consumers operating at the starting process must be systematically detected and plotted over the entire time range of the starting process. The level and curve of the respective currents are crucial in this case because an elimination of the secondary electric consumers also takes place in some cases via a suitably dimensioned filter.

Time ranges, each of which corresponds to a time window in a phase of rising voltage U, are indicated by hatching in FIG. 3. The phase of rising voltage U corresponds to the phase of a falling starter current I_(S) according to FIG. 1, which applies in a corresponding manner for the starter current I_(S).

By comparing the resulting time periods with the characteristic lines associated with the internal combustion engine corresponding to the operating state, e.g., warm characteristic line or cold characteristic line, the switching off of the starter for the internal combustion engine results when the time period within a rising phase of the voltage U to time t_(A) is exceeded.

An increase in the accuracy of determining the switch-off point t_(A) when evaluating the voltage U as a signal proportional to the starter current can be achieved in that adjustment magnitudes specific to the motor vehicle in question, especially as regards the motor vehicle battery and the connection line to the connection terminal of the starter motor, are eliminated and temperature influences and service life influences have as little influence as possible on the determination of the switching off of the starter.

For this purpose, the voltage U is measured at the connection terminal of the starter motor, first at the time of the maximum value of the starter current I_(S), that is current I₁ at time t₁ in which the voltage U reaches its minimum U_(min). At this time, the inductive voltage component is zero (L*di/dt=0; di/dt=0) and the voltage component U_(ista) resulting from a rotational speed of the starter motor is relatively small and not dependent on a temperature of the starter motor. This value equals 0.3 to 0.5 V over the entire possible temperature range.

Based on these side constraints, two equations can be formed for U_(min) by which the starter current I_(S) can be determined at this time at the connection terminal and the resistance can be determined from the battery internal resistance Ri_(L):

I_(stag)=(U_(min)−U_(xx))/Ra

and

R_(ig)=(U_(Batt)−U_(min))/I_(S),

where Istag is the estimated maximum starter current, Ista is the simulated maximum starter current, U_(Batt) is the no-load voltage of the motor vehicle battery, U_(min) is the minimum voltage at the connection terminal of the starter motor, U_(xx) is the brush voltage of the starter motor plus the induced voltage of the starter motor, Ri_(G) is the estimated battery internal resistance Ri_(Batt) plus the line resistance Ri_(L), and Ra is the contact resistance plus a ground-side line resistance plus a winding resistance of the starter motor and a proportion attributed to the starter brushes.

The following table shows the results determined on the basis of a simulation in an assumed temperature range of −20° C. to +80° C. A balance point is +20° C. The parameters used in the table apply to a 1.8 kW starter motor with magnetic excitation.

Battery state 12.0 12.0 11.5 11.1 U_(b0) [V] 100 100 80 80 charge state [%] 4 5 6.3 8.1 Ri_(Batt) [mOhm] Ambient temp. of 80 20 0 −20 starter T[° C.] U30min [V] 6.4 5.7 5.0 4.4 Ista [A] 1020 960 820 700 Ri [mOhm] 5.5 6.5 7.8 9.6 Istag [A] 1050 949 770 615 (1128)     Rig [mOhm] 5.3 (5.5) 6.6 8.4 10.9 Uista [V] 0.4 0.5 0.32 0.29 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of switching off a starter motor of an internal combustion engine which is engageable with the engine for cranking and switched off when the internal combustion engine runs by itself, comprising the steps of: determining a curve of a starter current (I_(S)) of the starter motor; providing a plurality of time characteristic lines which are dependent on the operating state of the internal combustion engine; selecting one of the time characteristic lines (t_(A)=f(I_(S))) on the basis of current maxima (I) on the curve of the starter current (I_(S)); and switching off the starter motor at a time (t_(A)) which is determined by evaluating the selected time characteristic line with a signal which is proportional to the starter current.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, and further comprising determining the time (t) with negative gradient during a ripple of the starter current (I_(S)) starting with current maxima (I₂, I₄ and I₆) during a downward curve of the starter current, and comparing the same with at least one permanently stored time characteristic line.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising selecting the time characteristic line to be dependent on a temperature of the internal combustion engine.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising evaluating gradients of the starter current after discounting a preliminary phase after a time (t_(O)).
 5. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising evaluating a motor vehicle battery voltage (U) as a signal proportional to the starter current (I_(S)).
 6. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising taking into account a battery internal resistance (RI_(BATT)) and a line resistance RI_(L) when measuring a motor vehicle battery voltage U.
 7. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising eliminating an influence of instantaneous electric consumers of a motor vehicle on a motor vehicle battery.
 8. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising eliminating an influence of magnitudes specific to a motor vehicle in question, including a charge state of a battery and the temperature of the battery. 